The distractingly mockish time travel comedy Just Visiting arrives on the scene and just sits there like an unwanted houseguest who has overstayed its welcome. Disney Pictures ill-advisedly concocted this cheerless American remake based on the early nineties French comedy hit Les Visiteurs. Although Les Visiteurs was a convincing success at the box office, this French romp was a lame and empty-headed vehicle despite its money-making impact. Apparently Disney feels it can translate the unexplainable appeal of its foreign inspiration and spin the same results into this childishly feeble American imitator.
Jean Reno (The Professional, Mission: Impossible) is a French nobleman known as the Count Thibault of Malfete. He and his sidekick, servant Andre' (Christian Clavier), are transported (courtesy of an unreliable time-travel potion gone awry) from their 12th century surroundings to that of a 21st century American big city environment in Chicago. While they are bewildered about their strange new world and its foreign customs and technology, the confused duo happen to conveniently meet Count Thibault's descendant Julia (Christina Applegate) and her conniving companion Hunter (Matthew Ross).
Just Visiting predictably has these clueless Claudes from the past get involved in all sorts of zany shtick while becoming a nuisance to their put-upon sponsor. That's all well and good but this film never really takes the time to have its protagonists explore the hilarity of their circumstances. There are some physical humor and sight gags but it is nothing really special or energizing that would lend this arbitrary comedy any distinctive credibility. For instance, when we see Count Thibault and his servant Andre' drinking from the toliet bowl, it is neither rousingly funny or original--it's just plain stupid. Although the plot involves the wacky French nobleman's plans to return to their time in order to save Julia and all the Thibault heritage link from eradication, you never really experience a sense of adventure that you would in a competent, light-hearted time-travel fable. One would never begin to put Just Visiting in the company of such delightful ditties as Time Bandits or the Back To The Future series. Those films had a winsome heart and vibrant spirit. Just Visiting is merely a whimsy, contrived gimmick.
Director Jean-Marie Gaubert, who directed the original film Les Visiteurs, returns to apply the magical touch a second time around. Too bad Gaubert is not a magician. Well, he doesn't have to be...Just Visiting will pull a disappearing act soon enough. Both French stars Reno and Clavier reprise their roles from the original film. Occasionally they are witty despite the lackluster material that's given them. Christina Applegate's Julia Malfete is given practically nothing to do besides playing the sideline babysitter to the mischievous morons while rolling her eyes at them indifferently. And the subplot involving Julia's scheming fiance' Hunter is a tacked on plot device to add spice to the waning exploits being perpetuated in this dull Disneyesque farce.
So when someone approaches and asks me what I thought of this little routine fish-out-of-water comedy, I'll tell them that I didn't stay interested that long at the movie theater...I was simply just visiting!!
Frank rates this film: ** stars
